Meaning of Ram and KRISHNA

This is Discourse 14 of the Ánanda Vacanámrtam series.

  

 

“Krśńa” and “Ráma”

There are three explanations of the word “Krśńa” – philosophical, biological and historical.

The philosophical explanation is that Krśńa attracts every being: knowingly or unknowingly, each and every particle of this universe is being attracted towards the Nucleus of this entire Cosmological order. But it is the duty of beings to move towards Him. He attracts everyone. The second philosophical explanation is the feeling in the jiiva (unit being) of its “I”-ness – “I exist,” “I am.” Since He is there, this feeling of “I”-ness is there. Had Krśńa not been there, would I have remained?

What is the biological Krśńa? It is He who controls and guides all the vrttis [propensities] and pravrttis [sentiments] as the nucleus of the sahasrára cakra.

The historical Krśńa, as everybody knows, was a special personality who fought and made others fight for the establishment of dharma and morality.

Each and every word is meaningful. Another name for Parama Puruśa is Ráma. The word “Ráma” has also got three explanations.

One meaning is Rámante yoginah yasmin – “the only entity, the only object, from which yogis, that is, spiritual aspirants, get pleasure”. Spiritual aspirants do not get pleasure from small, finite, worldly objects. They want something infinite. Na alpe sukhamasti – “Bliss cannot be obtained from finite objects.” The infinite object which supplies them with infinite happiness is nothing but Ráma. As said in Ánanda Sútram,(1) Sukhamanantamánandam [“Infinite happiness is ánanda (bliss)”] – they want ánandam and not sukham, they want bliss and not happiness. Rámante yoginah yasmin.

Another meaning of “Ráma” is Ráti mahiidhara Ráma – “[Ráma is] the most glittering entity of the entire universe”. The first syllable of ráti [“glittering”] – rá – and the first letter of the word mahiidhara [“world”] – ma – make up “Ráma”. Why(2) glittering entity? Because all other glittering entities get their [glitter] from Him. In this solar system, we derive energy from the sun. But from where does the sun get energy? The sun gets energy(3) from the Cosmological Nucleus. There are countless solar systems in the Cosmos. And for all these solar systems, the hub is Parama Puruśa, Puruśottama. He is the Nucleus of all energy. The sun gets energy from Him alone – therefore Ráti mahiidhara.

The third meaning of “Ráma” is Rávańasya marańam Ráma [“Ráma is the death of Rávańa”]. The first syllable of Rávańasya and the first syllable of marańam go to make up “Ráma”. And what is Rávańa? In the Rámáyańa there is something regarding Rávańa. (The Rámáyańa is a mythological book, it is not history.) Rávańa means a ten-faced demon. That is, Rávańa represents the extroverted human mind moving, functioning, in ten directions – moving towards crudeness, away from the Nucleus – being drifted away by the centrifugal force. How can one be saved from crudification? Rávańa can be defeated, can be destroyed, only when one takes shelter in Ráma. That’s why He is Rávańasya marańam: when one takes shelter in Parama Puruśa, Rávańa automatically dies. So one under whom Rávańa automatically dies is “Ráma” – Rávańasya marańam – the first syllable of Rávańa, and the first syllable of marańam.

18 August 1978 morning, Patna